EEI and DOE Launch Partnership to Accelerate Electric Transportation Adoption

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Jun 08, 2015, 06:07 ET

NEW ORLEANS, June 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and the Department of Energy (DOE) today announced a new private-public partnership that will identify and pursue collaborative opportunities between the government and the utility industry to promote and accelerate the nationwide adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

During EEI's Annual Convention in New Orleans, DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz and EEI President Tom Kuhn today signed a memorandum of understanding to take a variety of joint actions—including research, infrastructure, and outreach programs—to accelerate the widespread adoption of EVs.

"The electric power industry is a tremendous leader in moving the electric transportation market forward, and we are excited to work with our federal partners to bring about the economic, environmental, and security benefits of transportation electrification," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "Transportation electrification benefits electric utility customers, while also bolstering America's energy security and sustainability. These are priorities our industry shares with our government partners."

"The U.S. transportation system produces a third of the country's carbon emissions, making it essential that we improve plug-in electric vehicle technology and increase their numbers on the road," said U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. "Today's announcement enhances the kinds of private-public partnerships needed to remain at the forefront of advanced vehicle technologies that reduce our emissions and provide safe, reliable transport for the American people."

"Today's Memorandum of Understanding with the nation's electric power industry allows the Department of Energy to tap into the experience and scale of an industry that is truly leading the way in moving the electric vehicle market forward," said Kate Brandt, Federal Chief Sustainability Officer at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "The federal government is doing its part too, and will benefit from this partnership. Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, directs Federal agencies to reduce their fleet wide per-mile greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2025 and to ensure that by 2025 half of all new passenger vehicle acquisitions are for zero emission or plug-in hybrid vehicles."

EEI's collaboration with DOE builds on the electric utility industry's leadership on transportation electrification. One example of this dedication is EEI's fleet electrification initiative. Launched last year, this effort includes a commitment by EEI and its partnering member companies to invest at least 5 percent of their annual fleet budgets in plug-in vehicles and technologies.

Today, EEI announced that its fleet electrification initiative has exceeded the anticipated $50 million annual industry commitment, and will total more than $90 million in 2015, adding more than 800 new plug-in vehicles and 740 new charging ports to utility fleets.

Read our fact sheet to learn more.

Read the MOU.

View a photo of the signing ceremony.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and directly employ more than 500,000 workers. EEI has 70 international electric companies as Affiliate Members, and 270 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.

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SOURCE Edison Electric Institute